“The sooner, the better,” he responded.
“Know this though Mr Stein, I fear my kingdom has many eyes which belong to the north. Your meeting with me may already be known. You must go with stealth and the speed of the Gods. I suggest that you buy your supplies tomorrow and you journey forth on that same night.”
Sounded good enough to me.
“I shall have the Eastern gate open for you at the sounding of the second watch bell, on the night of tomorrow’s day.”
“Baram here will be able to tell you when that will be.”
Baram gave a reassuring nod.
“Unfortunately I must remain here, as to see you depart would attract too much attention.”
“I understand,” I replied
“Luka here shall meet you with Jaramel at the given time by the East gate.”
I nodded a reply.
“I just thank the Holy Paladin that the wall will be finished in time,” said the King aloud.
“What of the Galvians?” I asked intrigued, “would they not stand under your banner?”
King Silverstone nodded his head in agreement.
“The Galvians would be powerful allies indeed. But there are few of them, less than a seven hundred so I’m led to believe.”
“But still,” I started, “surely their size and strength would equally make up for their numbers?”
The King nodded again.
“Indeed it would, but relations with the Galvians are weak at best. They have only just started to trust in us, and to ask them to take up arms against our enemies I think would be too much to ask.”
“But still, I have not ruled out this possibility. We are going to hold a ceremony for them in their honour when the wall is completed. Hopefully, this will strengthen the bonds between us.”
“Kalmorin is here my Lord,” said Luka again.
Kalmorin entered the room again, looking a little out of breath.
“One hundred gold pieces Mr Stein,” announced a red-faced Kalmorin as he handed over a bulging leather pouch.
Taking the purse, I did the best I could to conceal my smile.
“I passed on your message to the nobles my King, and I overheard Lord Tannis say that if he were to wait any longer, he would require a bed!”
The King looked angered by this.
“Huh! That fool Tannis!” He bellowed. “All he ever thinks about is his stomach and his horse!”
Walking towards me with his hand extended, I took the hand of the southern ruler of Kantaria in mine. “I must go now Mr Stein, Kalmorin here shall see you out, but I sincerely wish you luck.”
“I will return with what you ask my King,” I replied.
The King nodded, then turned and departed back through the door from whence he came. Luka quickly followed, but not before nodding in my direction with as much charm as a poisonous snake. Throwing the leather pouch up in the air and catching it, I turned to Baram.
“Shall we my friend?” I said with glee, whilst motioning towards the door.
Chapter Four:
With my weapons back in place, Baram and I left the Castle, and at Baram’s invitation of food and ale, we hastened through the winding eastern streets of Ranak-Lore towards his home.
The district where we now walked resembled the Ranak-Lore that I was used to. The buildings were mostly made from wood and stood closely packed together. The streets were narrower and uncobbled, the ground was littered, and the general dress of the inhabitants reflected a much more simplistic approach to life than those of their western cousins.
Striding along beside me in powerful steps, Baram looked like a man that had lost a bronze coin, but found a gold one!
I was generally quite surprised by the amount of people that seemed to know him, as several individuals had already greeted us as we walked. I also noticed that some of their stares and curious looks were specifically directed at me.
“Baram,” I asked casually as we passed another person who acknowledged him with a greeting before turning back to stare at me.
“Yes, Taragon?” asked the big man.
“What exactly have you been telling the King?” I enquired.
Baram glanced over with a look full of innocence.
“Well…I haven’t actually been telling him anything,” he said a bit sheepishly.
“I guess he must have heard it from rumours, you know how people like to gossip,” he added with a grin.
“I guess they do,” I grinned back
“What rumours?” I pressed again with eyebrows raised.
The big weaponsmith glanced across to me once more, even his expression looked sheepish now!
“Oh… you know, about some of the exploits we have shared together…although… I think that I may have exaggerated a little with some of our tales.”
“Tales?” I replied.
“Yes, well…you know, you’re actually quite famous around here,” he returned with another grin.
“Indeed,” I replied, “famous like finder of the staff of Aspar?”
Baram looked to me but said nothing.
“As well you remember Baram there were four pieces of that staff, and I only recovered one of them!”
“Yes, but it was the last piece,” he countered.
“Ok then, what about Shilindria’s Mirror?” I asked again.
Baram cleared his throat with a succession of small, discreet coughs.
“You know all too well Baram that we were there on that Isle looking for Silverweed. No one told us that there was a Balakai there! It was only when we happened upon those ruins that we decided to investigate, and what did we find?” I asked, waiting for my reply.
“Shilindria’s Mirror and one dead Balakai,” Baram sighed in reply.
“Exactly!” I said, with my voice slightly raised. “It was only by chance that we found the Mirror amongst its possessions.”
“Ok, well I might have bent the truth a bit,” Baram confessed.
“A bit!” I said surprised. “By all accounts, the King thinks I’m some kind of legendary hero of old. I just hope I can live up to all his expectations,” I added.
“You’re angry at me then?” He sounded like a child that had just been scolded.
I looked over to him fondly and smiled.
“How can I be angry at the man who has saved my life on two occasions,” I replied whilst placing a reassuring hand upon his shoulder.
Regaining his composure, he beamed me a grin.
“But please,” I added, “No more exaggerations.”
Upon turning the next corner on our right, we started to ascend a small sloping hill. Lanterns within the houses pushed back the ever-darkening night, and our path was lit before us.
“Not far now,” announced Baram. “I live above a tavern at the top of this hill. The Barkeeper used to rent the rooms before having them converted it into a more permanent source of income.”
“Then I guess we won’t have to go far for our ale then?” I mused.
Baram shook his head.
“It is not a place I care to frequent often. He is a mean old soul who waters his beers. I only drink there on rare occasions to stay in his good books.”
As we crested the hill, Baram stopped in front of a large three-storied wooden tavern. The inn looked solid enough and had big glass windows surrounded by large oak beams. We stood outside bathed by the soft glow of the lanterns from within, as the sound of someone’s laughter carried forwards in the night air.
Looking to my left, I saw a solid looking staircase that ran up the side of the tavern to end a plain wooden door on the second floor.
“The Dragon’s Tooth,” I said aloud, upon reading the hanging sign above the tavern’s entrance.
“Taragon, there’s something I need to tell you.”
“What is it?” I asked with some concern, hearing the uneasiness in his voice.
“Well……It’s just that ……”
“Whatever it is you need to say, you may have no fear
to tell me,” I comforted.
Baram nodded as he eyed the ground.
“It’s just that I’m not actually living alone anymore,” he said in awkward tones.
“Baram?” I smiled in answer.
“I ……..met this woman you see, over a year ago now. She sells fruit in the marketplace. I bought some from her one day, and we got to talking and such, and one thing sort of led to another…”
“Well, you old bear you!” I jested and subsequently prodded him in the ribs.
“She knows all about you.” he added, “She is waiting for me now upstairs.”
Looking up, I saw that there were lights coming from the second-floor windows that I hadn’t noticed before. Baram had always been very shy around women. I was pleased for him that he had finally met someone.
“Are you wed?” I enquired.
Baram looked red faced.
“No not yet, but we plan to though. Next year maybe,” his gaze went to the window.
“Well then, I think this should then be a double celebration. Congratulations you rogue.” I smiled at him with a slap to his back just for the hell of it.
“Come then, let’s not keep this bride-to-be waiting.”
Baram nodded in agreement as we started to ascend the wooden staircase. At its top, he turned the latch on the door and bade me enter.
A waft of heat and the smell of cooking greeted me as I walked into a spacious living area. A large wooden table that looked as if it had seen better years was set for dinner in the central floor space. Three chairs stood around the table, and two more were propped up near the windows. A large wooden chest was pushed against the wall to my left and was decorated with a vase and flowers that stood on its top. The light from the two hanging lanterns illuminated the walls, and the walls themselves were lined with all manner of weapons. There were shields of iron, large and small, three different sized crossbows, and I counted five swords of varying sizes.
“Baram had been busy.”
Tools of his trade were stacked upon another table that rested against the far wall. Two other doors led from the room, one against the far wall near the table of tools, the other on the wall to my left. It was from within this door that the sounds of someone busy at work with pots and pans could be heard.
“Is that you dear?” a woman’s voice enquired in sweet sounding tones from within the room.
“Yes,” replied Baram in return. “I have someone to meet you,” he called back.
“Won’t be a moment,” came the reply.
“Here, let me store your weapons for you,” Baram offered.
Sliding my buckler from my arm, I then handed it to Baram as requested. As soon as he took hold of the finely crafted shield, he began to study it with entirely new interest.
“My this is a fine piece, magical too!” he added in admiration whilst turning it over in his hands as to examine it more carefully.
“Yes, a lucky find of late,” I replied. “ I think it could be worth a bit.”
“Indeed,” he agreed, “and I see you still have the crossbow I made...but only barely by the looks of it!”
“Yes, I err, had a few accidents with it,” I confessed.
“A few! It looks as if you have been using this instead of your sword!” he smiled.
“I’ve also been meaning to ask you,” added Baram, “where did you get your armour made? I have never seen the likes of it before.”
“The Galvians made it for me, a Galvian named Gram to be exact,” I replied.
“As I thought,” nodded Baram “ I’ve been meaning to visit them to learn of their ways. They are excellent craftsmen,” he said with respect.
“But then so are you,” I assured.
Baram smiled and stowed my weapons in the corner of the room just as a woman called his name from the doorway on the left.
Turning to look, I just caught a glimpse of a mass of red hair, as a woman dressed in a long white skirt, a white blouse and a leather waistcoat ran to bury herself in the big man’s arms.
The couple stood there in their embrace for moments that seemed longer than it was. “Taragon may I introduce Kendra.” Baram’s tone was tinged with pride as he released the girl from his hold.
“Kendra, this is Taragon Stein.”
The woman had long red curls of hair that hung to her breasts; her face was white and pale looking, with small freckles dotted around her eyes. Two rosy red cheeks sat either side of a full pair of red and smiling lips.
“Baram has told me so much about you. I feel that I know you already. You’re just how I imagined you to be ……except for a long black cloak of course.” The green eyed future bride of Baram smiled warmly as she greeted me.
“My lady,” I replied, before kissing her on her extended hand that was intended for shaking.
“Baram had told me that he had taken a woman, but never did he mention that she had fallen from the realm of the Gods themselves.”
Kendra seemed to go even redder in the cheeks as she withdrew her hand.
“I was told to expect as much,” she smiled. “Now seat yourselves at the table, dinner will be just a moment.” And with that, she spun on her heels and disappeared back through the open doorway.
“My, my Baram, a rare beauty indeed.” I complimented
“Yes, she can be a little dizzy at times though,” he whispered, “but I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He smiled again.
It was short moments that passed before Kendra returned with three jugs of ale and items for the table, then was brought a large round steaming pot. After warning Baram about of any spillages he may make, Kendra then proceeded to dish out the broth into the bowls that were provided.
The smell of the food was very pleasing. It looked appetising, and tasted great, with large succulent pieces of chicken, potatoes, and mixed vegetables all thrown together to make the well-seasoned meal, my only disappointment came when I had to finish my last spoonfuls.
“My compliments Kendra. Not only are you pleasing to the eye, but a fine cook as well, a lucky find indeed my friend,” I remarked to Baram.
“Huh!” snorted the weaponsmith; “you always did have fine words for the ladies.”
“Only the pretty ones,” I smiled in return.
A blushing Kendra rose from the table.
“Well I can’t sit around here and listen to your compliments all night Mr Stein, I have dishes to clean, and I’m sure you two have lots to catch up on, so if you’ll excuse me.” Once the table was cleared, Kendra returned to the kitchen, leaving me alone with Baram.
“So my old friend, I see by the decoration that adorns your walls you still ply your trade.”
Baram rested comfortably back and folded his big arms across his chest.
“Yes, I make weapons for a shop here in the City,” he answered. “Perhaps you’ve seen it? It’s on the main street.”
“Indeed I have,” I replied, “I was in a mind to visit there before I left.”
Baram nodded.
“Some of my best work is in that shop, I work for a man named Olaf.”
“Olaf!” I spat as I nearly choked on my ale.
“He doesn’t by chance wear a spiked gauntlet upon one hand?”
Baram shook his head.
“No, not that I’m aware of,” he replied with a frown. “He’s a kindly man quite late in his years, why do you ask?”
I shook my head.
“It matters not, I must have been thinking about someone else.”
“Oh,” sighed Baram “Anyway I’m in a mind to buy the shop from him, he is to retire soon and only remains because he knows I am saving for it. It is a fine shop Taragon. Lots of space at its rear, and there is even a small foundry where I can make the weapons. I sell a few of the items I have here privately now and again, but I think it will be another year or so before I have enough coin to purchase it from him.” He sighed as his eyes left his vision and returned to me. “Until then I do what I can.”
“It’s good
to set your heart on things,” I responded happily, “It gives you something to aim for.”
The big man nodded and looked at me more closely.
“And what of you Taragon?” he smiled, “What of your aims?”
“Well, right now the Soul Crystal and some more ale wouldn’t go amiss.” I grinned.
The weaponsmith rolled his head back in laughter.
“Well I can make one of them happen this night,” he returned.
“What say you to finding a tavern?” he asked.
“Lead the way!” I replied.
Baram nodded and rose from his chair.
“I’ll be just a moment,” he said, and with that walked to the kitchen. A brief moment had passed before he returned.
“Ready then?” I asked bemusedly.
He nodded a reply.
Kendra suddenly darted from around the kitchen door, her red curls bouncing as she came.
“And don’t you go ruining that good shirt Baram Oakengood!” She shouted in warning as the door closed behind us.
After heading along several darkened streets, we soon arrived outside a large illuminated tavern. It was obviously a much grandeur establishment than that of The Dragons Tooth. This building had timber beams showing through the stonework, much like the wealthy houses in the western district. Baskets of hanging flowers adorned the windows, and by its appearance, it looked as if it had recently been built.
“The Sunbud Tree,” I said aloud, upon reading the hanging wooden sign which had been shaped in the likeness of a tree.
“Yes, now this place is fairly new,” confirmed Baram. “But you get a good measure of ale, and they make the tastiest meat filled pies in all of Kantaria.”
“Surely you still can’t be hungry!” I asked with some astonishment.
“Not yet,” winked Baram “But maybe later….”
Pushing open the carved double doors of The Sunbud Tree’s entrance we entered into the bustling tavern beyond. After weaving our way through crowds of people, we finally seated ourselves in one of the corners.
The tavern was a throng of activity. I had to wonder to myself if it was always as busy as this? Most of the taverns on the road were generally quiet, and you had no trouble in getting your ale, but here it looked almost as if you had to fight for it! The only man who did not seem concerned with being served was currently sound asleep and snoring loudly to our right. There were even Galvians here, they towered above all who stood around them at the far end of the tavern like stone towers amongst a sea of bobbing heads. The atmosphere itself was boisterous and loud; with many different conversations taking place all at the same time it made me feel like my head was about to burst. Some people were laughing, while others argued, some sang songs, and then there was even one that snored. But most seemed to be calling for more ale, Baram being one of them.
Taragon Stein: The Search For The Soul Crystal Page 9